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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of camouflaging antennas through the use of polyurethane foam panels that either cover the antenna or are used to form antenna enclosures that blend into the architecture, shape and feel of the building or location that they are situated at.
2. Description of Prior Art
With the extensive requirement and use of antennas for radio, cellular, PCS and RADOM, OMNI and other wireless communications as well as other uses and the requirements or desires of governments, communities, builders, and property owners to have architectural structures that are artistically pleasing, there exists a significant and growing demand for the concealment and camouflage of antennas so that they match the architectural design of the buildings and the other structures on which they are situated.
Numerous methods of antenna camouflage have been attempted. These prior methods have been found to be lacking in RF-transparency and in structural integrity, expensive, subject to UV and environmental degradation, and difficult to match to the colors and textures of the surrounding architecture. Some of the current methods employ multiple layers of materials such as fiberglass, conventional ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), vinyl laminated polyester, or plastic.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,778 to Radov illustrates concealing a small satellite dish in a hole in the roof of a home. A bulging dome-like canopy is used to protect the dish while allowing the dish to have some degree of movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,362 to Forbes et al. illustrates concealing an antenna in a vent pipe of a building.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,353 to Hulse illustrates the use of a weather resistant fabric, such as vinyl covered polyester cloth with an outer coating of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), to cover the steel girders of various portions of an antenna tower.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,424 to Reineck et al. illustrates an antenna enclosure designed to allow full reception and transmission of electromagnetic waves while being made of building elements designed to be substantially self supporting. The building elements have inner cores with an outer skin layer.
While each of these approaches may be suitable for their intended uses yet there is still significant room for improvement within the art.
Historically, cellular plastic polyurethane foams are conventionally made by mixing ingredients and curing the polymerizing mass in a mold. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,600 describes mixing polyurethane with water and a tertiary amine catalyst. The reaction of the polymer with water releases carbon dioxide, with the result that the mass foams into a cellular material.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,383 , Polyurethane foams have been used in roofing, insulation of tanks, piping, and refrigerated equipment as well as many other housings requiring insulation with good dimensional stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,369 by Newman discloses a concealment panel which has a polyurethane foam panel component, but the Newman invention is a sandwich concealment panel. It has multiple layers of materials, not all of which are made of polyurethane foam. The polyurethane foam component of the Newman sandwiched panels is not structurally sound enough to consist solely of polyurethane foam. The Newman invention has a u-shape bracket member that surrounds the sandwiched panels. This presents problems as sandwiched panels do not weather well and the layers come apart, requiring constant replacement and repair. The Newman invention also discloses a panel which has a pattern of stucco, brick, stone, plastic, or wood grain, but the patterns are not directly molded into the panel and the panels are not solely made of polyurethane foam. This requires extra steps and expense in the manufacturing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,592, by Bogorad et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,305 by Lepore, Jr. Et .al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,306 by Amore et .al discloses the use of polyurethane foam with RF transmission but not used for the concealment of the RF transmitting and receiving devices. The polyurethane foam disclosed is also not structurally sound.
The use of a polyurethane foam which is substantially RF-transparent from 0 MHz to 100,000 MHz provides an inexpensive, safe, durable, structurally sound and efficient means to conceal and camouflage cellular, PCS, RADOM and OMNI and other wireless antennas.
There is still room for improvement in the art.
1. Field of the Invention
U.S. Class 343-872: 52/281
2. Description of related art including information disclosed under 37 CFR xc2xa7 1.97** greater than and 1.98 less than .
It is the object of this invention to provide an inexpensive, safe, structurally sound, durable efficient means to camouflage antennas either directly or through the use of an antenna enclosure.
This objective can be reached through the use a polyurethane foam panel which is substantially RF-transparent from 0 MHz to 100,000 MHz, which possesses structural capability of cellular, PCS, and RADOM and OMNI antennas, and which can be camouflaged by application of paint and other coatings to match the exterior surfaces of buildings, rooftops, exterior walks, silos, flagpoles, steeples and other structures on which such antennas may be installed.
The polyurethane foam panel can be use singularly or used to form an antenna enclosure. It has been found that polyurethane foam panels are substantially RF-transparent while being an extremely structurally sound material. It also has the advantage that a required thickness or hardness can be created by changing the mixture of the components used to make the polyurethane foam panels. Polyurethane Foam Panels are cost-effective and safe to be handled.